Read Online The Rembrandt Secret by Alex Connor - Free Book Online Page B

remember? I know every rotten thing about you.’ She sat on the edge of a chair, facing him, swinging one of her stockinged feet. ‘You cheated him when he needed money. If you’d sold that painting as a Rembrandt, it would have saved Owen’s business—’
    ‘But not his bloody life.’
    ‘How d’you know? Maybe he took a risk, borrowed too much, got mixed up with the wrong people. God knows, there are enough sniffing around the galleries at the moment, scenting blood.’
    Tobar was reading the paper hurriedly. ‘It was a robbery that went wrong—’
    She snorted. ‘Odd that no paintings were taken. Mind you, the most valuable one had already gone, hadn’t it?’
    ‘I was told that it wasn’t a Rembrandt!’
    ‘You bloody liar!’ she spat. ‘I remember what you said when Owen Zeigler first bought that painting – Lucky bastard, that will ensure a rich old age .’ She leaned towards her husband, her expression taunting. ‘You wanted that painting for decades. And then you got it, but the novelty soon wore off, didn’t it? You had to make Owen look like a fool, like a third rate dealer, to compound your triumph. So you sold it on. And he trusted you. If he hadn’t have been so desperate, do you think he would have believed you?’
    Tobar shrugged. ‘I was told it wasn’t by Rembrandt. I lost money too—’
    ‘I don’t believe you,’ Rosella replied. ‘I’ve seen your work, and I’ve not liked what I’ve seen. Why do you think I spend so much time away from you?’
    ‘We both know you have another man.’
    ‘I have one man. You never counted as a man in my eyes,’ she replied, with withering scorn. ‘I was your beard. That’s what you call it, isn’t it, Tobar? When a homosexual needs to look married, the faux wife is his beard.’ She smiled bitterly. ‘Well, it’s time you were clean shaven.’
    Stung, he turned his pale eyes on hers, his expression flat. ‘Stop being so fucking melodramatic. You need me.’
    ‘Not any more,’ she replied. ‘I used to, but not now.’
    ‘We have an arrangement.’
    ‘We had an arrangement,’ she corrected him. ‘But now I couldn’t live in the same house with you after what you’ve done.’
    He was thin with spite. ‘I don’t know why you’re being like this. It’s business. I’m sorry Zeigler’s dead, but I didn’t kill him.’
    ‘You ruined him, you made him desperate. God knows what chances he was taking—’
    ‘And that’s my fault?’
    ‘You cheated him when he needed money. You know damn well you were his last resort.’
    ‘He could have gone to someone else! I didn’t force him to come to me.’
    ‘You were his friend !’ She sighed, her expression repelled. ‘I’ve watched you for years,’ she said. ‘I’ve watched you sell fakes for the real article. I’ve heard enough to piece together what you do, Tobar. What underhand dealings you enjoy so much. While pretending to have no interest, I did still listen.’ She could see her husband’s face tighten. ‘But business was business, and I liked the money you made. And frankly, judging by most of them, I thought the dealers were fair game. If you won a few more times than some, it was because you were a bit more ruthless.’
    ‘So what’s the problem now?’
    ‘Owen Zeigler thought you were his friend. That’s the problem. You acted like his friend, you behaved like his friend. You went to his house and invited him to ours, like a friend . We talked like friends, laughed like friends. And now, finally, I see that nothing you say or do is genuine. If you could cheat your oldest friend, what couldn’t you do to me?’
    Unnerved, Tobar pushed the newspaper away from him. ‘Owen Zeigler’s death has nothing to do with me.’
    ‘Are you sure?’
    His eyes cold, he studied his wife. ‘Were you and Owen Zeigler lovers?’
    She smiled, her hands going to her face momentarily before she replied.
    ‘No … But out of all the dealers you know, all the people you mix